raspberry
by onceuponaplot
Summary: domestic au / "Last minute change of plans, got in this morning instead. I was gonna wake you up to say hi but you looked comfy. I figured I'd let you sleep in a little. Maybe surprise you with some breakfast in bed." Steve's pulled back far enough by now to catch sight of Bucky's raised brow before he adds, "Not that you're cooperating there."


_Originally posted in November 2014 as part of a 30 day writing challenge on Archive of Our Own._

* * *

He wakes up to sunlight behind his eyelids, limbs sleep warm and heavy. He reaches over his head, muscles stretching pleasantly.

He indulges in a few more minutes of drowsing just because he can.

Then the realization strikes.

Steve's out of bed in a heartbeat, rushing down the hall to the nursery in a blind panic because Jamie is never – _never_ – asleep long enough for him to sleep this late into the morning only to stop short at the door.

Jamie's on the floor with a big, toothless grin plastered all over her face and helpless little giggles escaping from her mouth. Bucky, legs folded beneath himself, sits in front of her. His hair is still wet from a recent shower, and he's got on a pair of gray sweats and one of Steve's old t-shirts that's damp at the collar as he tickles Jamie's sides.

Bucky leans down and blows a raspberry on Jamie's stomach and she shrieks loudly in delight, hushed quickly by a smiling Bucky. "Shh, shh. We don't want to wake Daddy. He looked really tired when I got back," Bucky says, voice low and happy. "How about you help me with breakfast, huh? We can make some pancakes. Daddy loves pancakes."

Steve almost can't believe his eyes, backs down the hall before Bucky can say anything else and sits quietly on the bed. He looks around the room, makes a quick trip to the master bath to investigate.

Sure enough, Bucky's suitcase and laptop bag are set carefully by the dresser and his suits are once more hanging in the closet. Most of the fog is gone from the bathroom mirror, Bucky's toothbrush is back on his side of the sink and a towel is hanging to dry on the towel rack.

Steve rushes back to Jamie's room, and this time he finds it empty. Steve takes the stairs two at a time, avoiding the creaky one at the bottom and prowling to the kitchen on silent feet.

Bucky's humming to himself as he gathers ingredients from the cabinets and Jamie's in her high-chair, babbling along and watching Bucky as he moves around the kitchen.

She catches sight of Steve after he steals a couple moments of quiet observation, squealing and reaching out for him immediately.

Bucky glances over at her with some half formed word on his lips that dies out upon seeing Steve. "Steve! We're making pancakes. You didn't tell me Jamie became a chef while I was away!"

Steve picks up Jamie and holds her one-handed as he uses the other to wrap Bucky in a hug, pressing his face into the side of his neck. "You're back early. I thought we were picking you up from the airport this afternoon?"

"Last minute change of plans, got in this morning instead. I was gonna wake you up to say hi but you looked comfy. Jay started fussing so I figured I'd let you sleep in a little. Maybe surprise you with some breakfast in bed." Steve's pulled back far enough by now to catch sight of Bucky's raised brow before he adds, "Not that you're cooperating there."

Steve rolls his eyes and hefts Jamie a little higher on his hip before he presses his mouth to Bucky's in a slow kiss. After, he says, "If you really want, I can go sleep some more. Let you deal with this little lady all on your own."

"Oh, the horror!" Bucky presses a hand against his forehead and flutters his eyelashes. "Whatever will I do without big, bad Steve to help me take care of my own daughter?"

Jamie chooses that moment to latch onto Steve's ear, unsatisfied with the amount of attention she's receiving, and the two men laugh as Steve frees himself from her grip.

"We'll go play in the basement for a bit while you finish up breakfast. Shout when it's ready," Steve tells Bucky, nodding to the forgotten bowl of batter on the counter. Bucky mock salutes with a grin.

Jamie whines a little when Steve takes her to the basement. It was hard enough explaining to her that Bucky was away for work the past few weeks, and now that she knows he's back, it's more difficult than ever to distract her. Steve manages eventually by pulling out her current favorite toy - the magical Duplo blocks - and helping her build several rickety structures that she delights in knocking over immediately after.

She's just finished demolishing another set of towers when Bucky appears at the top of the stairs, and alerts Steve to this fact by promptly abandoning the blocks.

A breakfast of pancakes and fruit and - for Bucky and Steve - coffee is set out on the table, and once Jamie is set up in her high chair with her food, Steve takes a moment to wrap his arms around Bucky and sag against him.

"Missed you," he murmurs and sighs when Bucky starts to rub slow circles on his back.

"Missed you guys, too," Bucky replies. Steve smiles when Bucky holds him tighter for a minute before they part enough to settle at the breakfast table, feet tangled together underneath.


End file.
